Journey of a Lifetime
by Kate of Carlay
Summary: This is Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. Love, life, and losing are all part of the road we travel, and this is the journey of her life. Told in 100 word drabbles. Read and Review!
1. Lonely

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Lonely**

This desolate road led her away, like the many before, to weddings of her friends. Happy faces, dancing couples, and the ever popular kiss that was set to seal part of their fates.

She hid her despair from her friends as her mind wandered farther into sadness.

She went to all of these ceremonies with a smile and laugh but was always left as couples disappeared into the night. She would always find the seat next to her empty, like her heart.

She began to wonder, was the road always this lonely?


	2. Warm

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Warm**

The cold, dark sky overhead does nothing to damper the frivolous men's attitudes. She looks down into the blazing orange fire. Holding her hands out to it, she tries to warm them after their frigid day in the saddle.

He sits down beside her, flashing a brilliant grin as their eyes meet. She didn't remeber his eyes being that blue when he handed her a warm flask of tea.

"Something to warm you up," he says, kindly.

She had yet to take a sip, but her body was flushed with sudden warmth.


	3. Forever

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Forever**

His arms wrapped around her, holding her close, as daring blue eyes gazed into dreamy hazel.

"I can't, not yet," she told him. "And your work won't allow marriarge."

He gently brushed a stray brown hair away from her tanned face. "I'm to command a new force. I'll be protecting delegations and would only answer to a certain knight commander. Best of all, no marriage law anymore."

"I can't believe it's you talking about forever."

"If it was just 'forever' I wouldn't be, but it's _you_ for forever."


	4. Someday Soon

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Someday Soon**

She smiles up at me with her toothless grin and her chubby little fingers curl around my thumb. My smile almost cracks my face in two as her innocent, green eyes crinkle in a joyous laugh.

Then, it hits me. I am absolutely awestruck by this beautiful baby girl.

I never said anything against children. I've thought about having them, maybe someday, but now I'm reconsidering.

Reluctantly I hand my Godschild back to her father and I look up at her Godsfather and I think that 'maybe someday' changed to 'someday soon'.


	5. I Do

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**I Do**

The grins he normally gave me that made my stomach flip were nothing compared to the radiant smile spread across his face. I trembled as my father led me down the aisle and I placed my calloused hand in his and I couldn't pay attention to anything other than the wonderful man standing beside me and the lives that laid out before us.

I had been prepared to walk the path of my life alone, but here was proof that I wouldn't. Our lives blended into one, and I couldn't be happier.

"I do."


	6. Mother

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Mother**

I have to smile at the lovely bundle of joy in my arms. The tuft of dark brown hair was sticking in every direction and her blue eyes were shut. Her crying had ceased several minutes before, rousing me from my sleep, yet I couldn't put her back to bed. The child in my arms could do no wrong, she was perfect in every way and I couldn't help but love her with every breath in my body.

There was just some indescribable and magnificent feeling that I got from nothing other than being a mother.


	7. First Steps

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**First Steps**

Blood pounded in my ears. My heart thumped in my chest like a war horse galloping at full charge. The sweat on my palms made it impossible to grasp anything as they trembled with fear.

He reached over in an attempt to soothe my quaking body. He looked so calm, but I saw the quiet fear in his eyes. His normally confident stance was tense, preparing to jump.

There we were, standing side by side preparing to face the inevitable. Great Mother, I was scared to death and it was only her first steps.


	8. Leave

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Leave**

Mounted on her strawberry roan gelding, she turned around to wave back at her daughter and her two best friends. She could barely tear her eyes away from the scene she was leaving behind. Her daughter was in one of her godsfather's arms, his other arm was around his wife. Her own godschild was clutching her mother's skirts.

All of them were preparing to be left here and her and her husband were leaving them all behind to charge off into another battle.

The child's parents weren't sure that they were able to leave.


	9. Lady Knight Commander

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Lady Knight Commander**

He watched her from across the table, waiting for her answer.

"I can't."

"You're the obvious choice," he replied sternly. "I know you care about it. You know more about it than anyone else, I want you in this place."

His hand ran through the dark locks of hair on his head, hoping that she would see his reason.

"I'll do it," she said with her normal determination and a small smile. "The conservatives will love this on your coronation day."

"They'll get over it, Lady Knight Commander."


	10. Command

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Command**

I know this shouldn't make me feel so proud, but it does. We're moving to stop a bandit attack, but I can't help but feel pride rise in my chest as I look back at the long, double column of men in blue and silver tunics, preparing to move out.

Each one of them were well trained men that moved in perfect precision when raised my arm for the signal to move out at a trot.

The flag bearer rode proudly, displaying the commander's flag, the owl and crossed glaives, my flag, my command.


	11. Save Him

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Save Him**

Her knightmaster's large frame now sat on the ground, bleeding and frail.

She learned so much from this man, he had given her a chance that no one else had considered. He took her under his wing and showed her what it meant to be a good knight, and a good commander. He had saved her.

She could do nothing for him now as his breathing became shallow, his grip on her hand became weak. She bent her head trying to hide the tears.

She just wished that she could save him.


	12. Blessing

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Blessing**

I couldn't believe what she was doing to me. Barely nineteen years old and here she was standing in front of us. She watched us carefully, daring us to deny her the one thing she has begged for, or should I say the one thing she had _him _beg for.

My husband looked at them and scowled but gave in. He looked at me and nodded, but sadly. These past nineteen years had not been long enough for me.

My husband looked down at the young knight. "We'll give you our blessing."


	13. Inspiration

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Inspiration**

Life was cruel. She had known that for some time. She had gotten more than just her dreams, she had received honor, a family, and she had been given the privilege of being a mother.

Now, her mother was being taken by the Black God. She held her mother's hand to her face, the cold skin felt like ice upon her tear stained cheek.

"I'm proud of you, my dear," her mother whispered quietly. "So proud of everything you've done."

A faint smile touched her lips. "Mother, you were my greatest inspiration.


	14. Grandmother

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Grandmother**

I have to smile down at the strong little baby boy in my arms. My daughter slept soundly in bed after giving birth to her first child. The boy had his mother's dark brown hair but his father's well defined nose.

My grin widens at my first grandchild and I feel old.

It seemed like only yesterday that I was holding my own daughter in my arms. Now, I am holding my grandson. I have seen many days but never thought I would see this one. I can't believe that now, I'm a grandmother.


	15. Black God

_A/N: This is a collection of 100 word drabbles that tell the tale of Keladry of Mindelan's life after Lady Knight. _

_Enjoy and Review!_

_I am not Tamora Pierce, and this applies to all future chapters.  
_

**Black God**

Her breathing and pulse grew shallow and weak as her eyes fluttered shut. Her elderly body rested in bed, preparing for death to come. She wouldn't admit it to her family, but she would embrace death. She had lived a wonderful life. She didn't even think she would be allowed to have so much.

Her greatest achievements in this world were not her knighthood, or the purses she won, but her family.

Leaving her body behind, she she stepped on the final path of her life and took the hand of the Black God.


End file.
